LCS to Approve Grant for “Effective” Teachers at Struggling Schools

On November 18th, the Leon County School Board will discuss approving the Unified School Improvement Grant (UniSIG) Supplemental Teacher and Administrator Allocation of $157,500. If approved, the grant will be awarded to Oak Ridge Elementary and Griffin Middle School, helping the schools recruit and retain teachers and ultimately improve student outcomes.

This grant ensures the funding will be given to the most effective teachers and administrators who are located at a school that received a grade of ‘D’ or ‘F’ from the Florida Department of Education in the recent past school year.

The funds will not be directly included in the teachers’ and administrators’ base salaries. Instead, they will be used as financial incentives to encourage recruitment, offer retention bonuses, and support professional development aligned with the school’s improvement goals. Through this process, it ensures that students located at struggling schools have access to high-impact teaching and leadership.

In the 2024-2025 school year, both Oak Ridge Elementary and Griffin Middle were the only schools to receive a ‘D’ grade from the state. Since the 2021-2022 school year, Oak Ridge has earned two ‘Cs’ and now two ‘Ds’. Griffin has maintained a ‘C’ for three years but ultimately lowered to a ‘D’ this past school year.

The student’s overall test scores determine these grades. At Oak Ridge, 37% of the students achieved proficiency in reading, and 32% in math. 29% of the students at Griffin achieved proficiency in math, with only 26% in reading.

The approval of the 2025-2026 UniSIG allocation would enable these schools to hire and retain successful teachers and administrators who focus on supporting and improving the students and their outcomes.